When nature calls, you want to relieve yourself the same way you usually would at home—using indoor plumbing. But when your camping spot isn’t close to the restroom facilities, that possibility quickly goes out of the window.
Camping toilets offer a comfortable and convenient way to do your business. In this article, we talk about the best camping toilets and essential considerations when buying them.
If you’re an outdoorsman who prefers to do some things—such as going to the bathroom—the traditional way, then a camping toilet can be an excellent option. But whenever you’re approaching new territory, it’s essential to do your research and know what you’re getting yourself into.
While a camping toilet isn’t something you’d want to be lugging around during a long hike, it can still be a viable tool to have for camping trips where you’re staying in one spot. This is especially true if you’re far away from indoor plumbing.
Because camping toilets allow you to avoid leaving your waste on the campsite, you won’t be attracting wildlife or polluting the land and water.
Even if you do have access to an outhouse, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a very inviting place. We all know outhouses aren’t the cleanest and well-maintained facilities.
When you’re away from home, you want to maximize comfort as much as possible. And a foul-smelling port-a-potty that’s surrounded by flies and other insects is no one’s idea of comfort.
If you want to achieve a similar level of comfort you’d typically get at home when relieving yourself, then a camping toilet is the way to go. The closest you’ll get to familiarity is using a toilet that’s yours and only yours.
Choosing a camping toilet shouldn’t be a complicated ordeal, but you should consider a few factors before making your choice. There are different types of camping toilets, so you must take a minute and decide which type is best for your needs:
When shopping for a camping toilet, the key features you want to look out for are portability, comfort, easy cleanup, and durability. In terms of portability, you might consider looking for a camping toilet that has handles for easy carrying and foldable components.
While you may not be using your camping toilet for hiking or other outdoor activities that require lots of moving, you still want to make sure your toilet is easy to transport and pack with your other items.
Comfort is another crucial factor, so look for a toilet with an ergonomic design. Also, choose a toilet that allows for easy waste disposal and cleaning. Sure, it’s great to have the luxury of relieving yourself comfortably, but what happens if you have a hard time cleaning and disposing of your waste?
This can create unsanitary conditions and ruin your camping experience. To combat this issue, find a toilet that has removable parts so that you can easily clean them.
You might also want to look for a camping toilet that comes with waste bags that have bio gel, which helps to solidify liquid waste. Cleanup and disposal are much easier, as a result.
Lastly, you want to make sure your toilet of choice has a durable design so that it’s able to withstand the rigors of outdoor use. Therefore, you shouldn’t choose a toilet that’s made of cheap, flimsy materials that are easy to rust.
You don’t want a wobbly toilet that can’t handle your weight. So go for a toilet that offers balance and support. The last thing you want is to topple over while you’re trying to do your business.
Using your camping toilet should be a breeze, but you can make it even easier by following a few tips.
Sanitation is perhaps the most important thing to achieve when using a portable toilet. Make sure you have disinfectant products on hand to cut down on germs. Clorox wipes, disinfectant spray, and hand sanitizer are vital in keeping everything clean and germ-free.
Waste disposal is also vital. Some camping toilets come with waste bags with which you line your toilet for easy cleanup. If yours doesn’t, look for waste bags that fit your specific toilet and make sure they’re sturdy enough to prevent leaks.
For privacy, you might consider using a separate tent for your bathroom excursions. Also, don’t forget the toilet paper. You can bring your favorite at-home roll or you can purchase toilet paper that’s more suitable for camping. More compact rolls make packing more straightforward and less bulky than with regular toilet paper.
Here, we’ve listed our top picks for the best camping toilets to make your trip mess- and stress-free.
The Green Elephant toilet seat has a lightweight composition and folds completely flat, which means it takes up very little space.
This seat is an excellent choice, not just for campers, but hikers as well since it’s so lightweight, at only 3.5 pounds.
The Green Elephant toilet seat is quite unique, compared with the other options. That’s because you have to use it with a disposable bag each time. This is a handy feature because you don’t have to clean up a big mess after every use.
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Whether you’re camping, RV’ing, or boating, you need a toilet that allows waste storage without compromising cleanliness.
The Palm Springs portable toilet comes with a 3-gallon freshwater tank and a 5-gallon waste water tank. This capacity is perfect for longer trips. Plus, its tanks are leak-proof, so you don’t have to worry about spills.
The seat flushes like a conventional toilet and has a durable composition as well as a matte finish that helps to conceal scratches.
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The Alpcour Portable toilet comes with a 5.3-gallon waste water tank, which eliminates the constant need to empty the tank after each use.
Another impressive feature of this portable potty is its 360 degrees rinse. When you flush, water will pump from the tank to the bowl, ensuring that it gets all sides.
This toilet also comes with a sprayer that you can attach to the water tank and use to spray your toilet after each use.
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Out of all the toilets we’ve reviewed so far, the Porta Potti Curve is probably the one with the sleekest, most modern design.
While the look of your potty may seem irrelevant when you just need it to dispose of your waste, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have one that’s nice to look at.
This portable toilet has a convenient handle for easy carrying, battery-powered flush, and a built-in toilet paper holder. It also comes with a kit that holds it down to the floor, so it doesn’t slip and slide while you’re on the road. Bottom line, if you’re a feature-happy camper, then this toilet might be for you.
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We chose the Camco Portable Toilet as the best overall camping toilet. One reason is that it’s very lightweight (11.5 pounds when empty), yet it can hold up to 330 pounds.
Also, the unit comes with waste tablets that help dissolve solid waste. This is a crucial feature because it allows for easier emptying and reduced odors.
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When you’re camping, you want to fully focus on the serenity and beauty of nature. You don’t want to be bothered with digging a hole or walking all the way to the woods to do your business. That’s why portable toilets are such valuable tools.
But it’s best to choose one that has a large tank capacity, odor control, leak prevention, durability, portability, and easy emptying. The Camco Portable Travel Toilet is the clear winner and checks every box. But the other options we discussed will get the job done as well.